politics - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about politics Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,750,005,625 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

politics

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.

politics

Ruling by the consent of the governed; an activity whereby solutions to social and economic problems are arrived at and different aspirations are met by the process of discussion and compromise rather than by the application of decree or force.

A much misused term, it has been expounded by Bernard Crick in his classic book In Defence of Politics 1962. Its popular description as ‘the art of the possible’ was probably first used by Otto von Bismarck of Prussia, in a recorded conversation in 1867. Both Bismarck and Crick made the point that politics is essentially an activity and not a science or set of rules. It is an activity based on diversity: diverse opinions about aims to be achieved and means to achieve them. Politics accepts this diversity as a fact of life and seeks to resolve conflicting views by discussion and compromise.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
 Email
Feedback
?Sign in SSL protected
Email:
Password:
Register

? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The Politics of Aristotle is the second part of a treatise of which the Ethics is the first part.
A Treatise on Government by Aristotle View in context
Nor in any other of his writings is the attempt made to interweave life and speculation, or to connect politics with philosophy.
The Republic by Plato View in context
To be sure I often broke this rule, as people are apt to do with rules of the kind; it was not possible for a boy to wade through heavy articles relating to English politics and economics, but I do not think I left any paper upon a literary topic unread, and I did read enough politics, especially in Blackwood's, to be of Tory opinions; they were very fit opinions for a boy, and they did not exact of me any change in regard to the slavery question.
My Literary Passions by Howells,William Dean View in context
More results
 
Hutchinson browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Hutchinson Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.